Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-06-17
THE TALE OF A PITCHER,
The Mysterious Circumstantial Evidence
of a Household Sensation.
BY ELIZA BETH PHIpPS TRAIN.

BY ELIZABETH rHIpPs TRAIN.
MADAME, l. cannot fluid the small
silver p tcher!'
Which pitcher, Julie?''
1.-THE one for the cream, madame
[ do not remember seeing it since
madame's coffee was served last even
ng. Perhaps madame has sent it
,omewlicrc?'
no, I know nothing of it. Search
search, Julie. it must have gotten out
Of sight.
Alas! madame. have looked in
vain; il is nowhere to be found!"
Aud sucn proved, indeed, to be the
,ase. We looked and hunted every
where, not q nook or corner, probable
or improbable, did VIC leave unsearched
n our endcavor to discover the missing
article. All, at last, I was obliged
sorrowfui!y to abandon ali hope Of ever
again sec .ng my little cream-ewer.
Now. from those who have not for
inherited possession real love and
pride cannot expect sympathy in my
misfortune, but per4ap, Il knowledge
Of the Intrinsic value OF the heirloom
may awake an interest winch would,
for the merely sentimental character
If my loss, be missing. The pitcher
was thoroughly uniIue little ;uf;lir Of
The purcSt silver. most curiously shaped
and cxglisitely wrought. lis design
was that OF a dragon, the tail forming
The handle ami the hideous mouth, in
the appraised head, stretched to a
frightful W .dth to permit the escape of
the sweet yellow fluid for which it
was purposed. The wicked. balvful
tire Of the cleaning eyes was due to
two large e,ucralds Of considerable
value aud Of such lustre that they
really seemed to impart diabolic life
to the monster.
My yrc%t-grandfathcr, an English
man, had long filed diplomatic post
at St. Petersburg, aud had brought home
from the Russian capital many
valuable and interesting souvenirs, gifts
from the warm friends his long resi-
cience there had drawn about him. This
little pitcher had been presented to
him by beautiful woman of high
rank, or archduchess, the story ran,
who had become greatly attached to
the handsome English ambassador, and
who had herself received it as we'd
ding Gift. On one Of the creature s
tanks was engraved tiny crest, that
Of I; small dragon surmounted by a cor
onet and underneath were two tiny let
tiers, U. v. while on the other the fair
donor had caused to be inscribed the
antlq,,ary can well understand my grief
at the loss of so curious and ancient q
posses sion, while he who prizes objects
merely for their marketabl value, may
appreciate my sorrow at the theft
of my valuable emeralds.
am not rich, and live in small but
cory little fiat in New York, with one
servant to attend to my wants aud adj
minister my household economy. /
have met with what people call reverses,
and am obliged to practice, not very
stringent, but moderate economy. l
have my vanties, one of which is that
all nv surroundings shall be such as
become a lady, and that my ordinary
service and appointments shall be of as
dainty and elegant a nature rs Can
afford. Having many relics of former
wealth, | am able to make my menage
quite in accordance with my desires,
and though my apartments lack con-
siderabIy in dimensions, yet their small
proportions cont ain articles of vertu
which would not shame q more palatial
abode. love to eat from fine china
and sip my tea from fra gile, dainty cups,
and evidently I am not alone in my
fancy, for rarely do I take my after
dinner coffee alone, and about my pref
ty little Chippendale table are often
gathered men and women whose names
represent much of the wit and talent
ofNew York.
Even on that very evening when Ipour.
ed for the last time the ivory stream
from my dragons ugly mouth, I had
entertained really brilliant little CO.
te-ie. There had come to me my old
and dear friend, Henry Farnsworth,
who for many years had been one OF
New York's most brilliant art critics,
and whose familiarity with the mu.
steal and artistic circles Of the metrop-
oils rendered him an authority on all
gossip connected Herewith. With
him had come his nephew, a man who
directed the publication of one Of oul
most prominent journals. Coffee had
just been brought in when Mary Van
Wort, who had been school friend o.
mine, and who was now mistress OF 8
gorgeous establishment, appeared, also
bringing friend, q charming woman
of perhaps 80 years, whose rare beauty
compelled our instant admiration. She
was foreigner, a Swedo, / think, and
was visiting Mrs. Van Wort, to whom
she had brought letters Of introduction
from. our minister to Sweden, who was
brother in-law to her hostess. 8
/ never saw & more charming, nat
ural manner nor q person more devoid
of, self.consciousness. She was ex-
tremely blonde, with such glorious
warm gray eyes, shining lustrousl.y
from beneath long, dusRy lashes,
above which were finely -pencilled eye
brows of the same dark hue, which
formed a curious contrast to her gold.
en- hair. She had a perfect command
of our language, though she spoke !
with winning little accent, which ad
ded another charm to her alre ady suf
ficient share. She had travelled much
and was q little shocked and disap
pointed at seeing her, after daintill
slipping her coffee, detach from bel
chate1aine, where many odd trinkets
were suspended, small cigarette case
Of repousse gold, from which she sab'
stracted q tiny cigarette and. with I